Sleep Apnea is a sleeping disorder that affects your ability to breathe while sleeping, causing you to wake up gasping for air during the night. It is generally accompanied by loud snoring followed by choking gasps.
If you have sleep apnea you don’t sleep soundly, causing you to be tired during the day.
If left untreated, there can be long term health issues due to a sleep disorder!
Effects of Sleep Apnea on Your Health:
- Insomnia
- Headaches
- Difficulty Concentrating
- Memory Loss
- Daytime Drowsiness
- Depression
- High Blood Pressure
- Stroke
- Heart failure
- Heart attack
- Diabetes
There are 2 Main Types of Sleep Apnea
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
This is the most common form and is caused by blocked air flow during sleep. This happens when the soft tissue at the back of your throat collapses and obstructs airflow thus reducing the flow of oxygen to your heart, brain, and other organs.
Central Sleep Apnea
This is caused by a problem with the brain sending signals to breathing muscles. The airway isn’t blocked, but the brain isn’t sending signals to the muscles that enable you to breathe.
Longwood Dental Group Can Treat Your Sleep Apnea
At Longwood Dental Group, our dentists are trained to identify common signs and symptoms of sleep apnea. During your routine visits, your exam includes screening for sleep apnea symptoms. If your dentist identifies symptoms, you may be scheduled for a thorough sleep apnea consultation with Dr. Sandy Perez. Dr. Perez provides sleep apnea treatment at Longwood Dental Group. He will review your medical history, examine your mouth and check for nasal problems.
Next Steps .. Dr. Perez may refer you to a sleep specialist doctor for a sleep study. A sleep study provides results of your sleep movements and sleep patterns including lung, brain and heart activity. It will also measure oxygen levels, breathing patterns and blood oxygen levels.
Following your sleep study … we will receive a diagnosis of the severity of your sleep apnea. If you are diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Dr. Perez will continue treatment.
If an oral appliance is recommended for your condition, Dr. Perez will custom design an oral appliance designed specifically for your needs. Your oral appliance fits like a mouth guard and will reposition the lower jaw and prevent soft tissues from collapsing and blocking airflow during sleep.